Art of forming flakes



United States Patent Ofltice 2,803,906 Patented Aug. 27, 1957 ART OFFORMING FLAKES Norman Steinhilber, Flushing, N. Y., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Boyle-Midway Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware Application August 14, 1951, Serial No. 241,867

3 Claims. (Cl. 41-34) This invention relates to a method and article ofmanufacture for forming a dry flaky substance.

As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that inthe decoration of Christmas trees, for example, where flakes ofconventional type are sifted over the branches to simulate snow, many ofsuch flakes will fall to the floor causing an untidy appearance and arelatively large quantity of flakes are required even for a small tree.In addition, where such flakes do not bond to the branches they willeasily be dislodged therefrom and will fall off leaving numerousuncovered areas.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a methodand article of manufacture for forming a dry, flaky substance whichutilizes relatively inexpensive chemicals and simple equipment and whichwill leave a residue that will quickly dry in flake-like form and whensprayed on an object will bond thereto and provide a coating that issnow-like in appearance.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by thearrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described andparticularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing the single figure illustrates one of variouspossible types of containers in which the solution to be dispersed maybe confined.

According to the invention the material to be dispersed is desirably asynthetic resin such as a polymerized acrylic acid ester known as anAcryloid and preferably a butyl methacrylate polymer is selected whichis soluble in organic solvents.

The solvent selected desirably is liquid at atmospheric pressure and hasa high vapor pressure with a relatively low boiling point so that whenconfined in a closed container the resultant solution of solvent andbutyl meth acrylate polymer will be under high pressure.

Typical of the solvents that may be used is dichlorodifluoro methane,commonly known as Freon 12, which has a boiling point of -28 degrees, ordichloro-tetrafluoro ethane, commonly known as Freon 114, which has aboiling point of 3.55 degrees.

Although any suitable receptacle may be used for the solution of butylmethacrylate polymer and Freon, in the embodiment herein shown itdesirably comprises a container 11, preferably of steel or other metalcapable of withstanding relatively high pressure.

The container 11 has a valve assembly 12 mounted on the top wall 13thereof which desirably comprises a casing 14 preferably cylindrical inshape, having a reduced root end 15 forming a shoulder 16 on which isseated a spring 17. Although the casing 14 may be affixed to thecontainer wall 13 in any suitable manner, it desirably extends axiallythrough an opening in said wall and is aflixed thereto as by welding.

A valve closure 18 having a diameter sufliciently smaller than that ofsaid casing to permit slidable movement of said closure member, has acup portion 19 at the upper end thereof normally urged to seat against acompressible gasket 21 preferably of rubber or other flexible material,

by means of coil spring 17 on which said closure member rests.

The gasket 21 is securely retained on the upper end 22 of the casing 14by means of a sleeve 23 having an internally threaded portion 24 whichcoacts with the correspondingly threaded exterior of casing 14, saidsleeve having an internal shoulder 25 which clamps said gasket on end 22of the casing. Extending axially through sleeve 23 is a valve stem 26,one end of which extends through the central opening 27 of gasket 21 andis screwed in a threaded opening 28 in valve member 18. The other end ofstem 26 extends through a gasket 31 seated on a shoulder 32 in said stemand retained on said shoulder by a plug 33 through which said stemextends. The sleeve has a relatively small opening 34 defining a nozzlethrough which the contents of the container may be ejected.

The casing 14 has a narrow pipe 35 telescoped therein at its lower endwhich extends to nearly the bottom of the container 11 so that thesolution therein will be discharged through said pipe to the outletnozzle 34.

The container 11 is charged with the butyl methacrylate polymer which isin solid crystal form and the solvent is thereupon poured into thecontainer which is then sealed.

It has been found that in order to have substantially no undissolvedsolid material in the solution, from 10 to 20 percent of the lattershould be the butyl methacrylate polymer. If more than this quantity isused the undissolved particles might clog the relatively small nozzle ofthe valve.

Due to the high vapor pressure of the Freon 12, for example, which willboil at room temperature, a high pressure will be developed in thecontainer. Thus upon actuation of the valve by pressing down on thevalve stem 26, the solution of the butyl methacrylate polymer and Freonwill emerge from the nozzle 34! in the form of aerosol.

The droplets of solution emerging from the nozzle will do so atrelatively high velocity. Due to the high vapor pressure of the Freon itwill evaporate almost as soon as it emerges from the nozzle and theresidue of butyl methacrylate polymer will remain. This residue will beflaky in appearance and although the crystals of butyl methacrylatepolymer are colorless the residue will be white in appearance resemblingflakes of natural snow.

The spray may readily be used to decorate a Christmas tree, for example.For this purpose if the nozzle 34 is held near the branches of the treeand the valve stem 26 is actuated, the droplets of solution will strikethe branches and the Freon will quickly evaporate leaving the whiteflaky residue which will bond to the branches and remain thereon. Ifsome of the sprayed material should not strike the branches but drop tothe floor, as the Freon would have completely evaporated before theflaky residue had fallen all the way it could readily be brushed off thefloor as it would not adhere thereto.

If desired, the spray may be made of any desirable color. This isreadily accomplished by dissolving an oil soluble coloring in powderedform in the solution of Freon and butyl methacrylate polymer. Inaddition, perfume may be added to the solution to impart an agreeableodor to the residue deposited on the tree.

It is of course to be understood that the spray could be used for manyother purposes. Thus, for example, a design can be sprayed on anysurface such as a store window, a mirror, or the like, and letters andnumerals can also be formed on such surfaces. As the residue is onlylightly bonded to the surface it may readily be scraped therefrom.

As many changes could be made in the above method as well as in thesolution and equipment and many ap parently widely different embodimentsof this invention could be made without departing from the scope of theclaims, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing; shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

' Having thus described my invention; What I claim as' new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

I ,1. The :methodof decorating surfaces .by the applica-i tion theretoofla plurality of discrete flakes of a polymeric material of crystallineappearance so that the. individual. flakes, as appliedto said surfaces,are generally separated from each. other and but lightly bonded thereto,whereby said: surfaces. appear to be decorated with flakes of naturalsnow, which comprises; applying to a surface totbe deeorated as trayof.a solution ofarmateri 'li which, whe applied-to saidlsunfaceiWill'iormthereon a plurality of flakes sim l ting natural snow sai sol tn comprising from .150 percent to-ZO perc n of a u yl metha rylate t apressure, so that a pressure-driven spray'of said solution contacts saidsurface which is to be decorated. said,

,flakes simulating natural snow, whereupon, when said halogenatedhydrocarbon solvent volatilizes, a plurality of discrete flakes of saidpolymeric material of crystalline appearance is left on said surface.

2. The method of decorating: surfaces defined in claim 1 wherein thehalogenated hydrocarbon solvent. is dicholorodifiuoromethane.

3. The method of decora ing surface define in claim. 1 wherein thehalogenated hydrocarbon solvent is .dichlorotetrafluoroethane.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent,

UNITED SIATESRATENTS 1,892,750 Rotheim Jan. 3, 1933 1,945,998 RotheimFeb. 6, 1934 2,4 7,668 Lea hcrm-an, Sep l.7, 1: 2,440,915 QQh -t- M y 4,194B- '1-5,2 0 1 Mtl ti Fa- J ly LS, 19. 0- 2,524,590 .Bne --s s Oct..3, 1950; 2,617,780 Lutz Nov. 1.1 19,521

FOREIGN PATENTS 811,418 France s s Jan. 14, 1937 OTHER REFERENCESCondensed Chemical Dictionary, ReinholdjPub. Clot,

New York, 3rd ed. (1942-), page 49.

la s

1. THE METHOD OF DECORATING SURFACES BY THE APPLICATION THERETO OF APLURALITY OF DISCRETE FLAKES OF A POLYMERIC MATERIAL OF CRYSTALLINEAPPEARANCE SO THAT THE INDIVIDUAL FLAKES, AS APPLIED TO SAID SURFACES,ARE GENERALLY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER AND BUT LIGHTLY BONDED THERETO,WHEREBY SAID SURFACES APPEAR TO BE DECORATED WITH FLAKES OF NATURALSNOW, WHICH COMPRISES: APPLYING TO A SURFACE TO BE DECORATED A SPRAY OFA SOLUTION OF A MATERIAL WHICH,WHEN APPLIED TO SAID SURFACE, WILL FORMTHEREON A PLURALITY OF FLAKES SIMULATING NATURAL SNOW, SAID SOLUTIONCOMPRISING FROM 10 PERCENT TO 20 PERCENT OF A BUTYL METHACRYLATE POLYMERDISSOLVED IN A SOLVENT THEREFFOR, WHICH COMPRISES A HALOGENATEDHYDROCARBON CONTAINING BOTH CHLORINE AND FLUORINE SELECTED FROM THEGROUP WHICH CONSISTS OF DICHLORODIFLUOROMETHANE ANDDICHLOROTETRAFLUOROETHANE, SAID HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON SOLVENT HAVING ALOW BOILING POINT AND HIGH VAPOR PRESSURE SO THAT PRESSURE DUE TOVOLATILIZATION OF SAID SOLVENT IS BUILT UP WHEN SAID SOLUTION IS STOREDIN A CLOSED PRESSURE-RESISTANT CONTAINER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, SAIDSOLUTION BEING APPLIED TO SAID SURFACE TO BE DECORATED BY RELEASING SAIDSOLUTION FROM A CLOSED PRESSURE-RESISTANT CONTAINER WHEREIN IT IS HELDUNDER PRESSURE, SO THAT A PRESSURE-DRIVEN SPRAY OF SAID SOLUTIONCONTACTS SAID SURFACE WHICH IS TO BE DECORATED WITH SAID FLAKESSIMULATING NATURAL SNOW, WHEREUPON, WHEN SAID HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONSOLVENT VOLATILIZES, A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE FLAKES OF SAID POLYMERICMATERIAL OF CRYSTALLINE APPEARANCE IS LEFT ON SAID SURFACE.